


Dwalin's Turn

by Saraste



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: 30 days of fic, M/M, Nursing, Pebbles, nwalin - Freeform, parenting-nwalin, where does nori even keep that knife?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-18 10:38:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7311598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saraste/pseuds/Saraste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They have a baby, there is no sleep to be had.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 26/30. Unbetad. Don't even know anymore...

‘Morning,’ Nori yawned as he flipped onto his side to look at Dwalin, woken by a familiar sound, familiar if somewhat exasperating, because he's exhausted.

 

‘Morning,’ was Dwalin’s mumbled reply. 

 

Nori shifted closer, shutting his ears from the sound that was making him ache inside, slide off their bed and deal with the source of it. He snuggled against Dwalin and whispered into his ear: ‘ _It’s_ _your turn._ ’

 

‘Tired,’ Dwalin grumbled, hand thrown over his face. 

 

Nori poked him to the side, irate, fuming.

 

When Dwalin still didn't move, Nori yanked at his beard until Dwalin was looking at his irate face ar close range. ‘Now, you  _ will   _ listen to me,  _ I  _ carried  _ your  _ heir for near on a year, and we agreed on sharing the care, don't tell me that you’ve forgotten… You’ll not like the consequences.’ The last was emphasised with the briefest presence of a knife in a very delicate location. Nori wouldn't have but he was  _ so very exhausted,  _ driven past endurance. And it  _ was  _ Dwalin’s turn.

 

‘I'm up, I'm up!’


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It might have been Dwalin's turn, but there are some things that he cannot give to their pebble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 29/30. I just had to write more in this verse.

Nori had fallen asleep in the rocking chair by the fire, hand curled protectively over a precious small back, shirt open at the front, where their pebble was still suckling, now half-asleep.

 

Dwalin smiled as he looked at the sight before him. It had been his turn this time, but their pebble had not calmed even changed, had not fallen asleep when Dwalin had walked the length of the floor, rubbing at their back and softly murmuring a lullaby. For it had not been him who their pebble had wanted. Nori had appeared at that point, sleep-rumpled and looking like he'd been about to keel over, yet summoned by the cries. He had taken the pebble from Dwalin's arms, gone to the rocking chair, other hand unlacing his shirt-front. It had been obvious from the frantic grabbing and the calm when the pebble had latched on that it _had_ been just what Dwalin was unable to give that had been needed.

 

And now here they were.

 

He knew that he should have gone to bed when Nori took the pebble, for sleep was a priceless commodity these fractured nights, yet he hadn't been able to do it. He had been fixed in place by the tableaux his One and their pebble made. Dwalin often wondered at his luck, at having found his One, even if their courtship hadn't been anywhere near calm, even if parenthood had smoothed some of Nori's edges, not softened him precisely, but made him a little more mellow. For Nori _had_ just drawn a knife on Dwalin in the bedroom. 

 

And maybe that's the reason Dwalin hadn't been able to go back to their bed. It had been his turn to soothe their pebble back to sleep, yet he was unable to nurse, so hadn't been able to give what had been wanted. He had felt too guilty to go and sleep when Nori had to be up. And now, when exhaustion had claimed Nori, Dwalin could not go either, for what if their pebble fell to the floor, even when Nori's hold was firm as it was gentle.

 

So he stayed, keeping watch over his family, heart full, a smile on his lips as he remained fixed in the doorway.

 


	3. Another Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 30/30.

In the end, they decided that it was best to sleep with the pebble between them. It had been suggested by Oín, after Dori had visited, taken one look at Nori’s exhausted face,  and decided to meddle. 

 

Dwalin had been grateful for it, as, while their sleep might still be disrupted by the pebble’s hungry crying, Nori did not need to get up every single time. And Dwalin could reach, when he was startled awake in the night, to touch Nori and be comforted by his presence, fingers skating over a small back. Having his small family all in one place was perfection every time. 

 

Waking up, when morning was closer than midnight, bleary-eyed and needing to get up sooner rather than later, was one of the high points of Dwalin’s day now. Nori was usually awake, watching him, hands more often than not wound around their pebble, who was more often than not nursing at his breast. The fussy, insistent crying was what usually prodded Dwalin awake, for Nori moved with the stealth of a natural thief.

 

‘Morning’, Nori said this particular morning, looking up at him, their pebble snuffling at his breast, suckling with determination. He looked tired, but his eyes were no longer framed with dark smudges, his whole demeanour no more on the brink of collapse, even if he must be tired. 

 

Dwalin reached over, caressing Nori’s cheek, before he carefully leaned closer to kiss him. He lingered, lips gentle and adoring. ‘Morning,’ he told Nori when they came apart.

 

Their pebble snuffled, nursing at Nori’s breast and all was well.      


End file.
